He shook his head. With his luck, she had a rule against dating government employees too. He was better off on his own.
But damn she made him need, and feel, and want things he had no business needing, feeling, or wanting. He’d just have to suck it up, because he didn’t have a right to ask that she give him a chance, to get involved with him when he didn’t know what the future held. He also didn’t have a right to the feeling coursing through him, but damn, he was jealous of the lucky guy she’d said yes to.
Casey clasped his shoulder and joined him in the hallway, where they looked out the front door and watched Risa walk to her SUV.
“Now that is one classy lady, my friend,” Casey said. “Mm-hmm. When she walked in, all the dogs acted like puppies and all the men like love-struck teenagers.”
“You included?” He gave Casey a side-eyed glance.
“Can you blame me? She had Cujo eating out of the palm of her hand and doing tricks. Not to mention, she brought these muffin things for the staff. Can’t say the other vet ever did that.”
“Nope, and he doesn’t walk his patients out to their cars, and give them hugs and scratches behind their ears, or flirt with the staff either. But you may as well as forget about her, Case.”
“What’s bugging you?” Casey asked.
Jax knew his tone came out harsh and he should watch it as Casey was technically his superior, but he didn’t care. They were friends and didn’t bullshit each other. “She doesn’t date military guys and she’s got a date tonight.”
Casey laughed and slapped him on the back. “Is that what’s eating you? Guess she didn’t tell you who her date was. It’s her godson and he’s eight. Chill, Jax, because from what I saw, Bella isn’t the only one who gets excited when you show up.”
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. As usual.”
“Right. She just blushed and started stammering the minute she saw you for no reason. Whatever. I’ve got woman problems of my own.” Casey turned and walked away.
Jax was stunned. He’d never seen Casey fret over the ladies before, or at least not since his divorce. When Casey kept walking, Jax realized he was serious. Jax hurried to catch up with him. “Talk to me, Head-Case.”
Casey kept walking until they had gone out the back exit and cleared the outdoor pens, where no one else could hear their conversation.
“I got a call from my ex-wife Colette this morning.”
“Yeah? What was on her mind?” Jax asked, trying to sound casual.
“She heard through the grapevine that I was headed to Pensacola. Guess she wanted to give me a heads-up that we might run into each other, as she’s the admin assist to some OIC at another command.” His words were innocuous, but his tone was deadly.
“Mighty nice of her. Anything else on her mind?” Jax didn’t know Colette well enough to hazard a motive behind her call.
He’d met her briefly before he and Casey had deployed. When they’d returned home, she’d left her wedding ring in an envelope with the ombudsman and Casey brokenhearted.
“Seems she and that air jockey she left me for have gone splitsville.”
“And are you happy or mad or relieved?” If Colette had been Jax’s ex, he’d have said mazel tov and moved on. Contrary to Risa’s belief, he was a cold-hearted bastard when it came to things like loyalty and people who didn’t believe in it. But he’d gotten the feeling Casey had never really gotten over Colette, even with all the women he’d dated since.
“All of the above? Numb? I don’t actually know.” Casey clenched his hands into fists and dug them into his front pockets, rocking on his heels. “She apologized.”
“That’s good, right?” Jax rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like he was walking in a minefield. “I mean, bases are small and you two are bound to run into each other. It’s good, right? This way it won’t be so awkward and, who knows, maybe you can even be friends?”
Casey narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
“Or not. At least you can be civil to each other.”
“Would you? If it were your ex—who’d dumped you while you were deployed—could you be civil?” Casey paced, then stopped dead to meet his gaze. “I don’t know if I can. I’m still so fucking angry. How could she have done that to me? We’d only been married for six months when we shipped out.”
“I wish I had the answers for you, but I don’t. And I’m probably the last person to ask. My last serious relationship was with a dog.”
Casey laughed.
“Seriously, Case. I didn’t know Colette well enough to know what she was really like, plus she’s female, and who understands their minds? No guy I know. What I do know is that it’s been four years, and you’re still carrying a lot of hurt and anger inside of you. Those are deep emotions. If you were really over her, I don’t think it’d matter if she was still with the air jockey, moved on, or married with a dozen kids.”
“What are you getting at, Jax?” Casey didn’t bother to hide his anger.
“Love and hate, man, they walk a fine line. Sometimes that line gets blurred, and you think it’s one thing, when really it’s the other.”
“Clearly, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Jax laughed inside. Wouldn’t be the first time. “Sure, but maybe you should think about talking to Chappie. It’s more his area of expertise than mine.” If anyone could get through Casey’s thick head, it was the chaplain.
“Yeah, whatever.” Casey walked away, then stopped and turned back to face him. “Hey, before I forget. Did you see Dunning before you headed out?”
“Nah. He’s been in meetings all day. Why, what’s up?”
“The Labor Day Weekend Blast?” Casey gave him a shit-eating grin, letting Jax know that all was good between them. “You’re on duty. He said something about karma and not following orders.”
Shit. There goes my spotless record.
* * * *
Risa pulled up in front of her house to find Fee and Dylan waiting for her. The dogs were out running, and as soon as they saw her they ran up to the SUV and sat, patiently waiting for her to get out. She had her hand on the door handle when her cellphone rang. Seeing the name of her vet tech, Corrie, made her groan. “What now?” she muttered before answering. She prayed it wasn’t an emergency, because she’d been planning her night out with Dylan for weeks.
“Hey Cor, what’s up?”
After a few minutes, she hung up and banged her head against the steering wheel.
“Why me?” she asked the universe.
“Why you what?” Fee stood next to the car, looking at her like she’d lost her mind. “Was that work? Do you have to go back?”
“Yes and no.” Risa slid out of the car and grabbed Dylan in a big bear hug, tickling him until he yelled mercy. “We are going to have fun tonight. We’re going to eat pizza, and then go see that superhero movie you were telling me about, and pig out on popcorn and licorice, and all the other stuff your mom doesn’t let you have. Right?”
“Right. ’Cause you’re the best, Aunt Risa.”
Fee rolled her eyes. Risa gave her a smug smile.
“Then you can stay up with him all night when he’s got a stomachache from all the junk you fed him.” Fee tugged at one of her son’s dark curls. “Hey buddy, why don’t you go feed the dogs for Aunt Risa?”
“Sure.” His little face lit up. “Can I feed the rabbits too, Auntie?”
Risa nodded, and he was off.
“Okay, so why the dramatics in the car?”
“That was Corrie from work. Dr. Lagasse was due to come back tomorrow from his holiday, but now he’s in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy.”
“And you’re asking why you?”
Risa snorted. “Obviously I didn’t mean it that way. I like Dr. Lagasse and hope he’s going to be
okay. But she also said that means I’m in charge of the clinic’s booth at the base’s Labor Day blast.”
“Okay?”
“I’ve got to man the booth and come up with some kind of game or something for people to do. It’s this weekend and I suck at planning parties.”
“You’re not planning a whole party, Ris. Just one activity.”
“Uh huh. What do I know? Animals. What am I going to sponsor, a ‘guess the animal feces’ contest?”
“I really hope not.”
“You’re the mom. What do kids and couples who go to these kinds of things like to do? You know I don’t like people or festivals where there’s tons of humans.”
Fee linked her arm through Risa’s and led her to the steps to sit down. “Relax. I’ve helped out during field day at the school every year. We’ll just borrow one of their ideas. So we’ve got tug-of-war?”
“I’m pretty sure I saw that on the flyer already.” Risa buried her head in her hands. With her behind the clinic’s booth, it was sure to be a failure.
“Okay, how about… the dunk booth, water balloon toss, fishing for plastic toys, sack race, water slide, pie in the face…” Fee rattled off a gazillion ideas, but none of them hit home with Risa.
She didn’t want the same old thing that everyone had seen before and would walk right by.
“Wait, what did you just say?” Risa asked.
“Egg pass?”
“That’s it. We take two different events and mash them together. So instead of just the plain old egg pass, we pair it up with an obstacle course. The best part, we don’t use hard-boiled eggs. The first team not to drop or smash the egg and make it to the end of the course, wins.”
“It’s different and potentially messy,” said Fee.
“I wanna play that game, Mom. I bet Donny and me could win,” Dylan yelled as he ran by to the rabbit hutch.
“There you have it.”
“Thanks. What would I do without you?” Risa gave Fee a quick hug. “How’s everything going on the Sal front?”
“I don’t know. Something’s up. He’s left three voice mails telling me to call, but he sounds ticked off, so I’ve been avoiding his calls. I’m tired of fighting with him and hearing his complaints. He probably wants to whine that he can’t afford to pay this month’s child support for whatever reason.”
“How can he even think that’s an option? Does he think raising a kid is cheap? I mean, how many inches has Dylan grown this summer? Because it looks to me like he’s shot up a good three to four inches. That’s got to be hard on the checkbook.”
Fee laughed, but it sounded desperate. “He’s grown an inch since the beginning of May, and he’s outgrown one pair of kicks and worn out another. School starts Wednesday, and I need to take him shopping for new clothes. At this rate, I’m going to need a third job.”
“Is there any chance they’ll up your hours at the base gym?”
“No. All the guys and classes do their workouts in the morning or at lunch.”
“What are you going to do?” Not only was Fiona a certified yoga instructor, but she was also a Reiki master and a personal trainer. Risa had to know someone who could use her talents.
“I’ve been talking to a friend on the base about offering special yoga classes for veterans who are suffering from PTSD to help deal with stress. If my proposal goes through, that will be another stream of income. I just don’t know if it will be enough.”
“What about adding animal reiki to your resume? If my crew could talk, they’d give you a positive endorsement. Goodness knows all three of them are absolute whores for you. They’d probably sell me on the black market for you, as long as you kept giving them reiki treatments.”
Fee laughed. “I’m not sure I’d go that far, but yeah, I’m pretty sure they’d happily become my slaves. It’s something to think about.”
“Figure out what you’d charge, and I’ll keep an eye out for potential clients and spread the word in the veterinarian community.” Risa started to get up, then quickly sat back down. “I know the perfect first patient for you. Bella.”
“Isn’t that your hot MA’s dog?”
“Yes, but—well, he’s not technically mine. Although he is hot.” As she thought about it, Risa got excited about the idea; not just for her friend, but also for all the animals that could be helped. It had done wonders for her sweet Eir, who had been abused before Risa had adopted her.
“One problem.” Fee held up her hand and walked out a few feet to check on Dylan. “Okay, he’s cuddling with Buggsy or Lolita. If she’s the Navy’s dog, they’re not going to pay me for my services. I’m not on staff, and it takes forever to get a contract approved.”
“No, but Jax is determined not to have her sent back to Texas, so he might. Or he might get the handlers to pool together. Let me at least run it by him, please?”
She held up her hands in prayer, giving Fee her best “please, please, please” face. This was a win for everyone. They could get Bella out of her slump. Jax wouldn’t have to send her away. Fee would get her first client and testimonial. And… well, Risa tried not to think that it might mean she’d have a reason to see Jax more often. That was just icing on the cake.
“I’ll get pricing to you by tomorrow at the latest. And thanks. Now, let me get out of your hair so you two can get going and I can get to my yoga class.”
Risa waved off her friend, making a mental note to call Jax in the morning. For now, she turned her attention to another pressing matter: creating a fun, unique obstacle course for dummies. And there was no better expert on fun than her date for the evening.
Chapter 7
It had been a busy week, but with Dylan’s help, Risa and Corrie had the course planned and ready to go on Saturday morning of the Labor Day Weekend Blast. Risa even had Dylan and his best bud Donny do a run-through to make sure it was doable, easy, and fun. The last thing she wanted was for the kids not to be able to participate.
Once the course was set up, she and Corrie worked on the booth and had it up and running by the time the gates opened. If budgets hadn’t been so tight, they would have had help from the other vet tech and the receptionist. Corrie was there as a volunteer.
So far, Jax had been MIA all morning. Risa scanned the area for a glimpse of him.
“If you’re looking for Dylan, the boys are over by the rides,” Corrie said.
“Mm-hmm, thanks.” Not whom she was thinking of, but she was glad that’s what her coworker believed. “I might go for a walk, since it’s still sort of quiet.”
“Be careful. That couple you turned in for animal abuse is here. I heard through the grapevine their dogs got taken away, and they got a hefty fine.”
“Total wankers. People like that should be in jail.”
Corrie stopped in the middle of straightening the coloring books she’d set out to look up at her. “Did you give their names to security when your car got trashed?”
“You know, I don’t think I did. But honestly, I doubt it was those guys. How would they know where I lived?” Risa handed Corrie the pamphlets to put in the plastic holder. “Need anything while I’m out?”
“Nope, Fiona’s bringing me food. You might want to walk by the dunk tank, though.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s where Chief Faraday is,” she said, concentrating on the supplies.
Corrie didn’t fool her for one minute. Someone was playing matchmaker. Risa only wondered if it were Corrie or Fiona, because she’d seen the two of them whispering earlier, and they both thought she was crazy not to pursue the guy.
And speak of the she demon... Fiona walked up to the booth with a plate of food and handed it to Corrie. “Risa, are you sure you don’t want anything to eat yet?”
“I don’t know what I want yet.” And that could be said of more than just her appetite. If
only she could stop thinking about Jax.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice called over the area speaker system. “We will be starting our first event of the day in ten minutes. The Best of the Base. Commands and sponsors, please send your two representatives to the Tough Mutter obstacle course.”
“What’s that about?” Corrie asked.
“Some race. The organizers asked if they could use our course, and I said sure.”
“But what was that part about representatives? The vet clinic is a sponsor.” Corrie looked down at the plate of hot food and sighed.
“Don’t worry. I’ll go find out if anything is expected of us. Enjoy your lunch. Fee, are you coming?”
“I’ll catch up with you. First I need to check on the boys. They were going to ride the spinning cups.”
Fiona went off in one direction and Risa headed in the other, unsure what was going on. Maybe they needed her, as the course sponsor, to start the race, or perhaps they didn’t need her at all.
She hoped for the second option.
Dreaded memories of elementary school field days flooded her mind. While everyone else looked forward to the day, Risa would rather have come down with chicken pox. If there was one person guaranteed to land in the mud pit during tug-of-war, it was her. Fall on her face during the relay race? Yep, her. Spill the water down the front of her shirt in that game with the buckets? Her again. Get tangled up under the giant parachute? That one still made Risa shudder in panic when she thought about the silky material clinging to her mouth and nose.
People stood around the race start point waiting for instructions. The event had been set up so that either two people could race against each other, or teams could compete against the clock. Risa looked for the short, stocky man she’d spoken with earlier and spotted him talking to Jax.
The day just got better. She’d happily watch the six-foot-plus guy who’d been haunting her thoughts work his way through kiddie tunnels and obstacles, if nothing else just for the sheer pleasure of laughing.
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